The Game

Chapter One

'One day Adelina, you may need to fight for your right. You must be prepared.'

His words rung through my head again as I stared up at the castle on the hill in the distance. I'd watched it burn to the ground the night Gwen and Albert brought me out here. Watched my parents bleed out on my bedroom floor as Albert carried me through the burning rooms, hand over my mouth to muffle my screams. Skin burning in ways I didn't even know was possible.

Standing here now, James sat on my throne. A temporary position until I was of age. He'd taken it after his father died a slow and hopefully painful death. No one knew I was here. Just me, Gwen and Albert. To the rest of my kingdom, my line was finished and it was James' throne permanently. To everyone else except the 3 of us, I burned in that room along with them. As soon as I turned 18, I was taking it back. 4 more months.  

"Wren!" I turned my head quickly. "Come inside." A quick sigh and a push off my boot forced me back into the cottage. I didn't remember much about palace life. Not anymore. I was barely 5 when I left. It was like I had experienced some fever dream as a child that was fading now. No evidence I was who I would claim to be. Nothing except the seal scared into my forearm, given to me that night in the flames as it burned. My father held me still, forcing the red hot metal against my skin as he sobbed his apologies. At the time I didn't understand. Why he was apologizing for hurting me but making it worse, continuing to burn me. 

I got it a few years ago. When Gwen and Albert sat me down and told me about everything. It was when I turned 14 they did that. Explained that the only person who had ever held that stamp was my father. That he died with it in his hand. That my uncle knew he held it as he died, it had been intentional. 

"Sorry." I sat down at the table beside them, taking the bread from Albert's outheld hand. "Thanks." 

"You have to stop staring up there Wren." I pushed some bread into my mouth. "It's not normal for a girl to be that obsessed over another person's home." 

"My home." I rolled my eyes as I spoke in a hushed tone. "Not his. Mine. Not with what he's doing to the people out there." They stared at me. "Evil with power. I can't wait to sink a sword straight through his ribcage." I chewed. "What?!" Chuckles left both of their mouths. "We all know he deserves it." 

"You can't say it out loud Adelina. If you get heard-" 

"He's literally killing all the girls in the area that are turning 18 this year with brown hair. Do you know how many girls I have watched die whilst he tries to eradicate me from earth?" 

"Exactly why it's a good thing you're only turning 16 Wren." I rolled my eyes. "Stop with the attitude." I sighed shooting Albert as much side eye as I could manage before he chuckled. "Okay. Chores-" 

"Feed and water the chickens, bring in yesterday's washing, go down to the village with Alice and be seen behaving like a normal 16 year old girl." They nodded and I put on a fake smile. "Then I get to come back and murder Albie again." 

"Not today princess." He smirked. "About time I stopped going so easy on you." 

"You have never gone easy on her Albert." Gwen laughed, standing up and clearing the table. "7 years old you had a full blown sword at her throat." 

"Hey, it may not be the conventional training method for a child princess but she's here now, look at her, stronger than me. Taking back her crown isn't going to be half as big of an issue we thought it would be." 

"No but finding her a man to marry will be." I scoffed. 

"I don't need a husband Gwen." I stood up, walking over with some more washing for her. "No man is getting close to taking what's mine from me. Not again."